1
The settled meetings to be kept each first-day.General Meetings,
as
a rule to be on some other day of the week.
2
As any are brought in to the Truth new meetings are to be arranged
to suit the general convenience,without respect of persons.
3
Persons ceasing to attend meetings are to be spoken to. Persons
who walk disorderly are to be spoken to in private, then before
two or
three witnesses; then, if necessary, the matter is to be reported
to the
Church.The Church is to reprove them for their disorderly walking,
and, if they do not reform, the case is to be sent in writing “to
some
whom the Lord hath raised up in the power of the Spirit of the
Lord
to be fathers,–His children to gather in the light” so
that the thing
may be known to the body and be determined in the light.
4
Ministers to speak the word of the Lord from the mouth of the
Lord, without adding or diminishing.If anything is spoken out
of the light
so that “the seed of God” comes to be burdened, it
is to be dealt with
in private and not in the public Meetings,“except
there be a special
moving so to do.”
5
Collections to be made for the poor, the relief of prisoners, and
other
necessary uses, the moneys to be carefully accounted for, and
applied
as made known by the overseers in each meeting.
6 Care
to be taken “for the families and goods of such
as are called
forth in the ministry, or are imprisoned for the Truth’s
sake; that no
creature be lost for want of caretakers.
7
Intentions of marriage to be made known to the Children of Light,
especially those of the meeting where the parties are members.
The
marriage to be solemnized in the fear of the Lord, and before many
witnesses, after the example of scripture, and a record to be made
in
writing, to which the witnesses may subscribe their names.
8
Every meeting to keep records of births, and of burials of the
dead that died in the Lord.Burials to be conducted according
to scripture,
and not after customs of “heathen.”
9
Advice to husbands and wives, as in 1 Pet. iii: 7.Advice to parents
and children, as in Eph. vi: 1-4.
10 Advice to servants and masters, as in Eph. vi: 5-9.
11 Care
to be taken “that none who are servants depart
from their
masters, but as they do so in the light: nor any master put away
his
servant but by the like consent of the servant; and if any master
or servant do otherwise in their wills, it is to be judged by Friends
in
the light.”
12 Needs
of widows and fatherless to be supplied:–such
as can work
and do not to be admonished, and if they refuse to work, neither
let
them eat. The children of needy parents to be put to honest
employment.
13 Any called before outward powers of the nation are to obey.
14 “That
if any be called to serve the Commonwealth in any public
service which is for the public wealth and good, that with
cheerfulness it be undertaken and in faithfullness discharged unto
God, that therein patterns and examples in the thing that is
righteous ye may be to those that are without.”
15
Friends in callings and trades are to be faithful and upright,
and keep to yea and nay. Debts to be punctually paid, that nothing
they
may owe to any man but love one to another.
16
None to speak evil of another, nor grudge against another, nor
put
a
stumbling-block in his brother’s
way.
17 None
to be busybodies in other’s
matters.
18 Christian moderation to be used towards all men.
19
The elders made by the Holy Ghost are to feed the flock, taking
the
oversight willingly,
not as lords, but as examples to the flock.
Dearly beloved Friends, these things we do not lay upon you as
a rule or
form to walk by, but that all with the measure of light which is
pure and
holy may be guided, and so in the light walking and abiding these
may be
fulfilled in the Spirit, — not
from the letter, for
the letter killeth, but
the
Spirit giveth life.